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Catching up in the UK office

I’ve spent today in the Birth International office in the UK. Things are busy - the latest catalogue is generating many sales that need processing as well as registrations to process for the remaining workshops in my current tour of the UK and the coming series in June.

I had a message waiting for me - would write a few words for the re-printed 3rd edition of Grantly Dick-read’s classic “Childbirth Without Fear” which is being reprinted in Britain. My copy of this classic has long gone missing (the original appeared in the 1940s), and as it has been a while since I read this book I have asked for a copy of the text so I can make an appropriate comment. There have been several editions of this work, including some that were heavily edited and revised. I will be keen to re-read his original ideas.

I have also come across advertising for Entonox - the brand name for the nitrous oxide/oxygen mix that is commonly used in Britain for easing pain during labour and birth. The manufacturers are offering information CDs and leaflets to childbirth educators, presumably as a means of promoting the use of this ubiquitous gas mixture. I will be sending off for my copy of this material and will be very interested to see what it contains. More about this issue when I get the package and have had a chance to peruse it.

The proofs for the article I have written for The Practising Midwife on ideas for changing the birth culture in Britain were also waiting for me. It is a provocative piece, designed to make people think and I am very pleased that they have given it prominence in the April issue. It will be interesting to see if there is any feedback - the 11th idea (the article gives 10 ideas) is to write to the Practising Midwife with another strategy. I wonder if there will be any suggestions?

Posted by andrea at March 16, 2004 05:31 AM

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